UX + UI Design

My journey into UI/UX design started after my career as an architect, where I developed an eye for detail and a passion for creating functional spaces. Moving from physical spaces to digital experiences, I achieved the Google UX Specialization Certificate and sharpened my skills with Figma and Adobe XD.
I focused mainly on redesigning websites and apps, aiming to make them more intuitive and user-friendly by applying core design principles.
Below, you'll find some of my designs, including projects from my master's, and redesign of applications. CLICK THEM TO SEE THE FULL DESIGN!

Visualize - UX Case Study

"Visualize" is a UX design project that dates back to my early learning days. This was the first case study I worked on when I started studying UX design.

So, what is "Visualize"? It’s an online virtual gallery with two types of users: artists and audiences.
Artists can choose different virtual spaces to display their work, and audiences can explore these galleries.

THE PROBLEM: With the onset of the pandemic, artists and art enthusiasts faced significant challenges. Artists who rely on displaying and selling their work were just as affected as everyone else.

THE IDEA (SOLUTION): Artists can "rent" gallery spaces for a certain period at a small cost, and viewers pay a small subscription fee. While I aim to make art accessible to all, monetization is essential from a business perspective.

Follow me on Instagram at @ux.shruti_sundar as I continue to rework on this project and build these virtual spaces!

Tap below to the see the first version of the application, where I outline my process and design solutions.

Click to see the old version!

Interactive Museum Exhibit

This project, part of my master's program, required creating artefacts for a fictional museum set in the near future. My location, Ingermanmore, was inspired by Russia.

ARTEFACTS: I created an old trunk, a morphed tree sculpture, and documents, all modelled and textured using Maya and Substance Painter. The documents and UI elements were designed with Photoshop.

EXHIBIT DESIGN: I modelled an old Moscow train station as the exhibit backdrop and built the interactive exhibit in Unity. Users can open, spin the trunk and explore the objects.

Watch the YouTube video to see it in action!

Created & Coded: Ingermanmore Website

Again, a project from my master's, where I handled all the graphic design tasks - National symbols, currencies, ID cards, and a motion poster for a fictional dystopian world that is partially submerged.

I built the project website using a Bootstrap HTML5 template, learning HTML and CSS in the process. The colour palette and patterns were inspired by historical data, representing both submergence and emergence.

Design Elements:

National Symbols: Representing stability and strength in a submerged dystopia.
Coins & Banknotes: Detailed designs reflecting the olden and submerged architecture. The context was inspired by Russia.
ID & Travel Cards: Futuristic, secure, and functional designs.
Motion Poster: Animated to remind the users of the past.

Check out the project here. (Link is safe!)

Branding

I had the amazing opportunity to work with the Contextual Mental Health research group at the University of Edinburgh's School of Health in Social Science. They tasked me with developing an identity that represents - mental health, people, and technology.
After several iterations, the final logo, seen in the video, was created. I also prepared a complete design system, including a colour palette, print colours, fonts, and logo variations.
See the logo on their official page here.

For my personal branding, the name and logo presented here were created before making this portfolio. Representing myself was challenging, but I managed to stay true to my authentic self.

Video Game + VR Design

My introduction to Unity began with the interactive exhibit project and evolved through the two projects detailed below. Game Design Studio class taught me invaluable skills, from narrative and level design to user controls, marking my first in-depth experience with UI/UX for games.

My VR project is the one I am most proud of. My dissertation was a fun cycle of creation and testing. I never thought I would work with VR, but now I can't wait to dive into it again. For more information, images and videos of these projects, check out my Instagram page!

Game design - Bluebeard

As part of my master's course, I developed a video game inspired by the Bluebeard folktale, set in a traditional Rajasthani haveli. Havelis are historic mansions known for their intricate architecture and haunted legends.

SETTING:
The game takes place in a two-story haveli with two symmetrical courtyards, designed as a maze with only one entrance/exit. The player navigates the mansion from a first-person perspective, exploring rooms by hovering and clicking.

GAMEPLAY:
The game is divided into two parts - The player starts in a random corner of the mansion, exploring to find the forbidden room. Inside the forbidden room, the player learns the story before being transported back to the corridors to find the exit.
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AESTHETICS & DESIGN:
Style: Realistic, minimal, and immersive.
Interactions: Subtle hints - flickering lights, particle effects, hover icons - to guide. Interactions - opening doors, clicking objects, & scene jumping.
3D Models and 2D Assets: All architectural elements were created modularly for easy duplication in Unity. Models were made in Blender, UV mapping in Maya, and textured in Substance Painter. The 2D assets - AI-generated paintings in the forbidden room, textured in Substance Painter.

Enlightened Spaces

Illuminating the Psychology of Light in Built Environments through immersive VR. My master's dissertation project.
This VR experience takes participants through four unique environments, each unravelling the effects of light. You can tell which space is my favourite!

Environment 1: Museum | Mystical Gallery
Light animations focus on Lord Shiva in a room. The reflected flooring 'extends the room' and duplicates the effects, invoking fear and intimidation.

Environment 2: Brutalist Architecture | Concrete Enigma
A perforated tunnel with revolving lights leads to a corridor with a slit roof. The final space ends in an inverted funnel with scattered lighting, creating suspense.

Environment 3: Gothic Church | Chromatic Sanctuary
High vaulted ceilings, intricate ornamentation, and large stained glass windows create a visual marvel. Stained glass lighting invokes astonishment and fascination.
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Environment 4: Pantheon | Solitary Wonder
The journey concludes at the Roman temple. The Oculus lighting with fog creates a sense of timelessness and wonder.

Architecture

After studying architecture and completing the course during the pandemic, my passion for the subject grew even stronger. Throughout my studies, I had the opportunity to design a variety of projects, including bus stops, high courts, institutions, interior design, urban design projects, and green architecture, to name a few. My interest in archaeology inspired me to do my thesis on a historical site related to an unknown civilization in South India.
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During the course, I interned at a firm specializing in building schools and institutions. Despite the challenges of scaling large projects, it was an invaluable experience. After graduation, I worked at an interior design firm, where we created stellar interior spaces. The top middle image is an example of the work done there. The images below are some of the many design I created and worked on.

I will always be fascinated by buildings and how they are constructed!